Pope Paul VI, who guided the Catholic Church through a tumultuous period of change in the 1960s and 70s, took a crucial first step toward possible sainthood when Pope Benedict XVI on Thursday (Dec. 20) recognized his predecessorâ€™s â€śheroic virtues.â€ť

Paul VI is now considered â€śvenerableâ€ť in the Catholic Church, and needs the Vatican to recognize a miracle due to his intercession in order to be beatified, or declared â€śblessed.â€ť A second miracle would then elevate him to sainthood.

Christopher000 wrote:My point, John, was that I genuinly care. My intention was not to offend you in any way, or to argue. I don't know everything by any stretch, but because this all hits very close to home for me, I am very well read on the topic. The reason that I'm so well read is because Ihope to reach my mom, wife, and extended family with the truth someday before it's just too late. I shudder everyday when I think about any of them passing before their eyes are opened to behold the truth.Roman Catholocism is Satan's greatest masterpiece. They have had their hand in the most infamous slaughters known to mankind...they supported Hitler and Mussolini, they ordered and instigated the inquisitions, and they continue today to slaughter, without bloodshed, untold millions of eternal souls. Not mention the millions of souls that have already passed on over the past two thousand or so

All of these priests sexually-abusing little boys, much like the chosen Jews of old who sacrificed and ate their children, are Satan's pawns. He seeks to kill, maim and destroy the people and faith that God loves. The Devil doesn't bother those religions that are are inert and powerless. Jesus didn't come to save the upright and nice but the wretched repentant

Christopher000 wrote:I'd like to be clear that I take thw time to post these long rants at times, not to bash or to judge, but because I care. I sit on the side of a road and type using my little tiny keyboard because I'm concerned.My mom, my wife and her entire family are all Roman Catholic...that's why I get so uptight. I'm concerned about everyone in this religious system because they will not stop to consider the facts, even when they are clearly black and white. People will research prices before they buy a car, they will compare plans before choosing a cable provider, they will investigate a neighborhood before purchasing a home, etc, etc, etc, but when it comes to their eternal security, they, without question, entrust it to mere, sinful men, and a church.I don't get it.

Christopher000Thank you for your testimony! I also have unsaved Roman Catholic family and am so thankful my wife and daughter are saved and can identify with caring about the salvation of members of ones own family.

May God help me and all of us on SermonAudio to remember each other and our unsaved family in our praying, and may that praying be in the Power of the Spirit and in accord of all the will of God in His word, to see His mighty sovereign answers.

My point, John, was that I genuinly care. My intention was not to offend you in any way, or to argue. I don't know everything by any stretch, but because this all hits very close to home for me, I am very well read on the topic. The reason that I'm so well read is because Ihope to reach my mom, wife, and extended family with the truth someday before it's just too late. I shudder everyday when I think about any of them passing before their eyes are opened to behold the truth.Roman Catholocism is Satan's greatest masterpiece. They have had their hand in the most infamous slaughters known to mankind...they supported Hitler and Mussolini, they ordered and instigated the inquisitions, and they continue today to slaughter, without bloodshed, untold millions of eternal souls. Not mention the millions of souls that have already passed on over the past two thousand or so years who never opened their hearts to the truth of God's word.

I'd like to be clear that I take thw time to post these long rants at times, not to bash or to judge, but because I care. I sit on the side of a road and type using my little tiny keyboard because I'm concerned.My mom, my wife and her entire family are all Roman Catholic...that's why I get so uptight. I'm concerned about everyone in this religious system because they will not stop to consider the facts, even when they are clearly black and white. People will research prices before they buy a car, they will compare plans before choosing a cable provider, they will investigate a neighborhood before purchasing a home, etc, etc, etc, but when it comes to their eternal security, they, without question, entrust it to mere, sinful men, and a church.I don't get it.

What Christopher000 wrote:Amen! Very well said.By GODS mercy HE gave me eyes to see and ears to hear and saved me out of thatAnti-Christ system. To GOD be the glory!Let us pray for those that are still blinded by the god of this world.

Christopher000 wrote:You need to do your own research on their doctrines concerning their views on Mary, the mass, transsubstantiation, indulgences, confession, Papal succession, the inquisitions, Purgatory, infant Baptism, the salvation process, the rosary, praying to the dead, worship of the wafer and relics, acceptance of all religions, and on, and on, and on. You say you can stay in that system because you just ignorw thw unscriptural parts...that's impossible because they are so intertwined. This isn't about going to a particular church either, John, it's about being part of a church that believes, teaches, and lives the Word of God alone. I don't know why you refuse to see any of this. You have closed your heart to anything that doesn't jive with what your mind has rationalized. Hitler slaughtered millions of bodies, the Popes were, and are, even more dangerous because they have and currently are slaughtering untold millions of eternal souls.

You need to do your own research on their doctrines concerning their views on Mary, the mass, transsubstantiation, indulgences, confession, Papal succession, the inquisitions, Purgatory, infant Baptism, the salvation process, the rosary, praying to the dead, worship of the wafer and relics, acceptance of all religions, and on, and on, and on. You say you can stay in that system because you just ignorw thw unscriptural parts...that's impossible because they are so intertwined. This isn't about going to a particular church either, John, it's about being part of a church that believes, teaches, and lives the Word of God alone. I don't know why you refuse to see any of this. You have closed your heart to anything that doesn't jive with what your mind has rationalized. Hitler slaughtered millions of bodies, the Popes were, and are, even more dangerous because they have and currently are slaughtering untold millions of eternal souls.

John, I think it's interesting how you defend a man and a religious system that the Bible has clearly defined as being anti-God and anti-Christ. I think people don't know what to say to you anymore because you just refuse to do your due diligence in comparing God's word to the system you belong to. You always say they worship Jesus as their savior...no, they worship a subservient shadow of him. Mary, by their own writings, is their queen, Jesus, being subject to her, has to do whatever she tells him, and God is floating around somewhere in the ether. To worship Jesus is to love Him. To love Jesus is to follow His commandments. The RC church is polluted with man made doctrines, rituals, and Pagan beliefs. The RC church believes that their traditions are equal to, and even trump the Word of God. The RC church believes that God speaks directly through their Popes and that whatever comes out of their mouths is infallible. ..even if the dogmas are in direct disagreement with the Bible. And on, and on, and on. The RC churches doctrines, theologies, dogmas, rituals, etc, are all anti-God, and anti Bible, John.

Hi John...you're right. I glossed right over the Pope's name. No matter though; I would have said the same thing. You're also right in saying that I probably shouldn't act as though I know anyones fate. I don't. Here's how I see it: if Pope John had room in his heart to accept God's truth, what an incredible witness he could have been to one billion people while alive. I believe that if God could reach him, He would have accomplished this before the Pope died so that He could use him for His glory. This didn't happen and given his life long theology, hard line views, belief that he was Christ on Earth, his worship of Mary, his acceptance of all religions stating that they all served the same god, etc, etc, etc, I just don't believe that he suddenly realized the truth on his deathbed. Neither do I believe that God would give him a free pass after being a lifelong hater of His people and leading countless millions to their eternal death...right up until the end.You are right though...only God knows, John.

Christopher000 wrote:I'm certain that one of Satans minions will be performing a "miracle" on Pope Johns behalf. Since Pope John Paul, now knowing that Purgatory is a fraud, is being tormented for all eternity, he won't be available to perform any miracles. All the faithful will believe in someones hoax or a counterfeit miracle and they will all have yet one more saint to pray to.Please start reading your bibles, people, and stop trusting your eternal security

What has Pope John Paul II have to do with this article? This article is about Pope Paul VI, not Pope John Paul II. And how arrogant can anybody be to state categorically that they know for certain that Paul VI and John Paul II did not embrace Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior before passing away and are in Hell? There is a chance that both Paul VI and John Paul II embraced Jesus as their Lord and Savior before they passed away. Only the Lord Jesus Christ knows for certain because He alone is the only one who has the ability to see into man's heart.

declaration from sin wrote:When a significant evangelical leader dies do men make or declare him a saint?

REAL Christians know this fact to be true.Isaiah 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.AS Paul reveals.Romans 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

declaration from sin wrote:When a significant evangelical leader dies do men make or declare him a saint?

Mike is quite correct.

Geneva Bible Commentary wrote:Ephesians 4:12:{7} For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the {p} body of Christ:(7) He shows the aim of ecclesiastical functions, that is, that by the ministry of men all the saints may so grow up together, that they may make one mystical body of Christ. (p) The Church.

An expository of this verse and the ones around it should be in this sermon, Ephesians 4:11-13.

The continued growth of idolatry in the Roman Catholic harlot is proof which illustrates their distance from Scripture. These poor sad creatures worship dead men to no avail. Whereas the REAL Christian worships the living Son Of God who lives with God and conquered death.

GOD Commands;Exod 20:4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:

As for Roman Catholics;2Thes 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

"More and more evangelicals are asking questions about the ethical issues at stake in the use of birth control. For Roman Catholics, 1968 was a milestone in ecclesiastical discourse on the subject with Paul VIâ€™s controversial encyclical, Humanae Vitae. Forty years later, evangelicals are awakening to the fact that these are questions relevant to more than just Roman Catholics. On todayâ€™s program, Dr. Mohler discusses issues related to birth control, the family, and the Christian worldview."-Albert Mohler, SBTS President and leading Evangelical intellectual, "40 Years After Humanae Vitae," MONDAY, AUGUST 11, 2008